Because exams were approaching quickly, it drew to Hermione's attention the fact that this was her first year teaching, and she had no idea where the professors of Hogwarts spent their summer vacation. She knew that she should simply ask Severus, but she feared that she would feel incredibly foolish as she did it. Therefore, she decided to wait until the next morning at breakfast, after Severus had already eaten and left, to question Remus Lupin.
"Goodbye, Severus," she said as he stood to leave, and, after nodding to her, he departed through the door behind the High Table that led from the Great Hall.
Then Hermione turned to Remus, who sat beside her, and grinned at him, receiving an equally pleasant smile in return. "Good morning, Remus," she said.
"Good morning."
"Listen, I wanted to ask you a question."
"All right. Go ahead."
"Well…" she hesitated, and then went on, "What exactly is it that teachers do during the summer vacation? What I mean is, where do they go?"
"I've never been at Hogwarts long enough to ever have a summer vacation," he said, chuckling, "but I believe that, aside from Dumbledore and perhaps a few others, all the professors leave for their own homes to spend those precious two months."
"I see." Grinning, she thanked him and then returned to her meal.
"How is your pregnancy coming along?" Remus asked her several minutes later, just before he bit into his bagel.
"Quite well, actually. Have I told you yet that we've found out the sex of the baby?"
"No, I don't think you've mentioned it. What is it?"
"We're having a girl."
"That's incredible! Severus Snape, with a daughter. This should be interesting to see."
Grinning even more widely, she brought her fork, with a piece of egg on it, to her mouth. After she had swallowed her food, she said to him, "Severus will be a good father, don't you think?"
"I believe that, when the child comes, he will care for it greatly, yes. Of course, I have complete faith in both of you, as do the rest of our colleagues, I'm sure."
"Why do you say that?" she questioned curiously. "What do you all say about us when Severus and I have left the staff meetings?"
"Nothing of any great consequence to yourself. Sometimes, we simply discuss how good it is to see the both of you so pleasantly happy together."
"I see," she said, smiling at him.
"I have no doubts that you will both make excellent parents."
"Thank you, Remus."
There was a minute or so of silence, until he spoke, "Have you chosen a name?"
"No," Hermione replied. "We've both offered several different suggestions, but nothing has been decided yet. What do you think?"
"You may want to consider naming her after a person in your life. Perhaps a family member?"
She paused for a moment. "I did suggest Eileen, but…"
"Ah, of course. I can certainly see why Severus may be opposed to that particular name."
"It really is quite a lovely name, in itself, and I would fancy choosing that name for our daughter, but Severus… Well, you are clearly aware of how stubborn he can be. Even so, in this case, I respect his wishes."
"I agree. Of course, you could name her after your mother?"
"Jane. Forgive me, but I've never quite liked that name very much. A bit odd, isn't it? I mean, that two people with ordinary names like Jane and Robert would choose to name their daughter Hermione?"
Remus chuckled. "I can see how that may be a bit strange. You could always name your daughter Lily."
"That is also a rather lovely name. However, again, Severus…"
"I believe that may very possibly be an even worse choice than Eileen."
"I agree."
"Have you informed the students yet?"
"Yes, I have. Needless to say, they were quite shocked to learn that the father is Professor Snape, just as I would have been when I attended school here."
"And rightfully so."
"Yes," she muttered, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice.
There were several minutes of comfortable silence in which they both finished their meals, until Remus turned back to her. "Will you be spending your summer vacation with Severus, or at your own home?" he asked.
"I have no idea," she admitted. "I suppose I'll have to discuss the matter with Severus to see where he stands on it first."
"Of course. Very well," said Remus, standing. "I should be returning to my rooms now, to prepare for classes. Exams are approaching much faster than I would have ever imagined that they would."
"Yes. I'm certainly not looking forward to grading all of those horrid tests once they're completely over with."
"I know what you mean. However, it must be done, I suppose," he sighed.
"Yes. I should be getting back, as well, though. Have a good day, Remus," she said, smiling at him.
Grinning back at her, he replied, "You too," and then made his way around the High Table and down to the front doors of the Great Hall.
OoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOooo
"Severus," Hermione said later that day, "do you realize that in less than four weeks, Hogwarts will be on break for the summer?"
At the moment, they were both sitting, as always, in their living room, both grading their students' papers and preparing for the upcoming exams.
"Of course. I have been greatly looking forward to it," he replied.
"I had a discussion with Remus this morning at breakfast."
He looked up at her. "Not to appear rude, Hermione, but why would I possibly give a damn?"
Ignoring his foul reply, she went on, "He told me that most of the professors here leave to spend the summer vacation at their own homes."
"I see."
"Do you usually leave, as well? Surely, you must?"
He paused for several long moments, and then said, "Yes, of course. Do you honestly think that I would choose to waste the only two months of break I get from these idiotic children in the very place where they usually reside, and where I may quite likely be reminded of them? No, I travel to my own home." He paused, and then continued, "Clearly, it is your decision, but if you would like, you may accompany me for the summer."
"I would love to," she said, instantly brightening. "I'd also like to visit my parents once more, as well as the Burrow."
Sneering, he replied, "Very well. However, if Weasley begins to insult me without so much as the slightest provocation on my part, so help me, Hermione, I will be in no way responsible for my actions."
"Yes, Severus, of course," she nodded, and then turned away so that she could roll her eyes without him seeing her.
He nodded too, and then returned to grading the essay that sat before him.
"What day shall we leave?" Hermione asked after several moments.
"I am usually free of this school before the students reach their destination on the Hogwarts Express."
"I see. That sounds fine."
OoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOooo
The next week, as Severus was sitting at his desk and shuffling papers just after a class, he felt a presence beside him. When he turned, he glared at the sixth year Slytherin girl who was lurking there.
"What is it, Ms. Bale?"
Sneering at him, she replied, "Sir, might I ask you a question?"
"Very well."
"Not as if it is my place to question such things, but what are your relations with that Mudblood who teaches Charms?"
Severus faltered for a moment as he heard the word that the girl had used to describe Hermione. "Ms. Bale," he said, turning slightly toward her, "do not use such vulgar language in my presence."
The girl furrowed her brow. "Forgive me, Professor, but are we not both Slytherins? Don't we value the purity of blood above all else?"
"There are more significant things in life rather than pure blood, Ms. Bale."
She raised an eyebrow at him.
"However, you were previously correct," he said. "It is not your place to question such things."
Completely ignoring his statement, she continued, "I've heard that she's become pregnant, by you. Surely it isn't true, Professor? Tell me she's just a Mudblood liar."
Now, his eyes locked with hers. "What if I told you that it was entirely true? What then, Ms. Bale?"
"I would say that you are as awful and foolish as the Gryffindors have always said that you were."
"If the only price that I must pay is your disapproval, Ms. Bale…."
"It shall not be only mine, Professor."
"Excuse me?"
"Needless to say, I seriously doubt if my report of our conversation here will go over well with the rest of the Slytherins."
"Forgive me, Ms. Bale, but you are in sixth year, correct?" She nodded. "Then, as you should have noticed by your previous years of attending my classes, I could not care less what my students' opinions of me are."
"Good, sir. Because, if I am correct, you shall not be very popular in the dungeons any longer."
"Perhaps not with you."
"With all of the Slytherins, sir."
"If I have not made my point quite clear, Ms. Bale, allow me to do it now," he said to her, standing and towering over her tall frame. However, even as intimidating as he knew that he appeared, she did not shrink back, nor did she avert her eyes from his, although their blackness was burning into her.
A Slytherin, through and through, he thought, feeling a rush of pride.
"It is no business of yours what Professor Granger and I do, nor is any other aspect of my life that you may seek to interest yourself in. If you choose to run back to your common room and share this information with your precious Slytherin friends, then so be it. And if you have thought for one moment that I will allow it to bother me, you are sadly mistaken, Ms. Bale."
"Very well, sir. I shall remember that."
Then she turned on her heel and stalked out of his classroom, stopping when she reached the door and pulled it open before her. Then, once more, she turned around to face him.
"Professor Snape?"
"Yes, Ms. Bale?"
She paused for a moment, quite hesitant, but continued shortly thereafter, speaking quietly, "Professor, she will only hurt you."
Severus stopped again, taken aback, but quickly recovered. "May I ask how you can possibly know that, Ms. Bale?"
She stared at him for a moment, and then a smirk began to appear on her face as she replied, "Trelawney told me."
"Leave now, before I assign you a month's worth of detentions," he said, smirking as she quickly scampered out of the room. He returned to grading essays at his desk and awaiting his next classroom full of students, while he himself was filled with a strange feeling that perhaps he should not mention this conversation to Hermione. It would only worry her. Plus, he didn't want her punishing one of his Slytherins, even if he was allowed to punish one of her Gryffindors. However, for the given moment, Severus simply chose to ignore this meager fact as he continued to scribble foul remarks in the margins of the paper that he was grading. From no student in any particular House, of course….
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Meanwhile, Hermione sat calmly at the desk in her own classroom, awaiting the last of the students to come shuffling through the doorway, chattering and laughing with each other.
She was now greatly anticipating the end of term, as opposed to before, when she had been feeling something quite near dread when she thought of it. What would she do with her time now that she had no essays to grade or papers from her students to read?
Well, she thought, I'm sure that Severus and I will be able to find something to occupy our time….
OoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOoooOooo
One morning in mid-May, Hermione was lying in bed in the morning, wide awake, with the sunlight flooding into the room. However, she knew that Severus was still sleeping from the fact that he was…well, still in bed. She was aware that the moment he awoke each morning, unless she was already out of bed, he rose and retrieved a cup of coffee from their small kitchen. She thought that this was only due to the fact that he simply wanted to be the first one up and about…just so that he could smirk at her later.
"Severus?" she whispered, leaning over to kiss his neck.
She heard him groan in response, still more than half-asleep, now that she had woken him up, if only slightly.
"We have a meeting with Madam Pomfrey this morning."
He did not answer.
"We need to get out of bed, as Poppy is expecting us to report to the infirmary in just under one hour."
Once again, there was no acknowledgement from Severus that he had even heard her comment.
Now, she was beginning to get annoyed.
"Severus, get up!" she said again, though this time, she hardened the tone of her voice.
Lying on his side, with his back facing her, he opened one eye and looked at the clock on his bedside table. It read that the time was nearing 8:05.
"Severus-"
"All right!" he snapped, rather more loudly and rudely than necessary, rubbing his eyes as he sat up in the bed.
At that moment, Hermione felt something…different, and she froze. Could it be…?
What the-? she thought instantly.
"Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "Severus!" she called again, clutching his shoulders and turning him so that he was facing her.
"I apologize for snapping at you-" he began. "Honestly, it isn't such a huge deal, Herm-"
But she placed a finger to his lips.
"I-" he started again, but she shook her head and whispered, "No, Severus."
This only confused him further. What the hell was going on?
She's finally gone completely mad, he thought.
"Severus," Hermione said quietly, "the baby just kicked."
His eyes widened and flitted over her stomach, until they glanced up to lock with her brown ones again.
"Just now?" he asked.
Grinning, she nodded, and then she threw her arms around his neck. "I love you," she told him excitedly.
In response, he began, "I-"
However, his words ceased suddenly and he jumped back from her, nearly toppling off the edge of the bed. Luckily, he managed to catch himself at the very last moment.
"What the hell was that?" he yelped, staring at her stomach with his eyes as wide as quarters, as if he wasn't sure if she was really there or not.
Laughing softly, she replied, "The baby."
Smiling, she reached out and gently took his hand, pulling it to her. Lightly, she set it upon her stomach, just as the baby kicked again.
Severus' jaw dropped slightly, but he did not back away from her this time.
"Are you all right?" she asked him.
"Yes, I- I'm fine," he replied, though he sounded a bit dazed.
"Gods, I wonder how you're going to handle it when she takes her first steps…" she muttered, smirking at him.
"Shut up," he muttered, scowling at her and quickly removing his hand from her stomach.
Grinning at him, she leaned over to kiss his cheek, and then hopped off of the bed. He watched her as she left, and then stood and ran his fingers through his hair.
The experience of being a parent never ceased to amaze him.
Unfortunately, my computer is currently having major problems. Therefore, it may be a while between updates. Sorry.
Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed! Can you believe that this story has received over 600 reviews? I sure can't!
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